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5 disney things

5 Disney Things You Should Know This Week – June 10, 2016

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Each Friday, I provide 5 Disney things all Disney fans should know from this past week, just in case you missed them. This week was a very, very slow Disney news week. Here are the super important Disney news items for this week:

Tony’s Town Square Parade Package

tonys town square parade

Walt Disney World has announced a new parade package at the Magic Kingdom, the Tony’s Town Square Parade Dining Package. Similar to the Fantasmic! dining packages in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this new package will include a meal at Tony’s Town Square as well as reserved seating/standing area for the Main Street Electrical Parade.

Reservations can be made to take a mid-day break to refuel and enjoy a three-course lunch at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant. Indulge in a delicious Italian meal, knowing you’ll also receive reserved viewing for the Main Street Electrical Parade, right in front of the flagpole on Main Street U.S.A.

Vacation Club Lounge at Epcot

epcot dvc lounge

This week, a new lounge opened in the Imagination Pavilion at Epcot, exclusively for Disney Vacation Club members and their guests, and it looks fantastic!

Available for Members with paid admission to Epcot, the lounge is open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The new lounge is tucked away on the second floor of the Imagination! pavilion (with the Member entrance in the ImageWorks merchandise location on the first floor of the pavilion). Ascend the staircase or take the glass elevator up, and you’ll find yourself inside one of the Imagination! pavilion’s towering glass pyramids. It’s a bright sunshine-filled space that offers commanding views of Epcot.

The lounge is a great place to recharge (yourself and your devices) while visiting the theme park. There’s lots of casual seating, complimentary beverages (including Coca-Cola Freestyle machines), device-charging stations, Wi-Fi, computer stations, a printer and mounted tablets pre-set to help you access myriad Disney websites. There’s even a play area for children where they can test theirDisney Infinity skills or watch some of the latest Disney animated shorts.

While kids are playing, mom and dad can consult with Member Services Advisors who are available daily to assist with dining reservations, future resort stays and more. Weekdays an RCI advisor is be available to help Members navigate exchange options for upcoming vacations.

Catch Les Parfaits Inconnus This Summer at Epcot

Les Parfaits Inconnus

You’re in for a treat this summer in World Showcase at Epcot, when the talented artists and athletes of Les Parfaits Inconnus take the stage at the Canada pavilion.

Hailing from Québec, Les Parfaits Inconnus combine music, circus art and comedy to create an off-the-wall performance unlike anything seen before! Demonstrating a mastery of several circus disciplines and proficiency with musical instruments, the performers of Les Parfaits Inconnus fill their audience with wonder and delight.

Les Parfaits Inconnus will be appearing for a limited time on the Mill Stage in the Canada pavilion at Epcot.

Disney California Adventure set for Shanghai Disneyland Celebration

Shanghai Disneyland

Next week is the grand opening of Shanghai Disneyland, and everyone is invited to celebrate this special occasion at Disney California Adventure.

On Thursday, June 16, join us in Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure park from 10 AM to 5 PM and enjoy special entertainment and photo opportunities in honor of the opening of our newest world-class Disney destination. The festivities will feature colorful performances by local community groups, along with character appearances by Mulan and Mushu! Some favorite Asian-inspired food & beverage offerings, including pork bao, almond cookies and pot stickers, will also be available for purchase.

In addition, Disney be giving away a button commemorating the opening of Shanghai Disney Resort to each guest entering the Disneyland Resort theme parks, while supplies last. Hope we see you there!

Jungle Skipper Canteen now accepting advance reservations

jungle skipper canteen

At the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen in Magic Kingdom Park, you can discover bold and flavorful tastes inspired by the exotic flavors of the rivers traveled on the Jungle Cruise attraction.

And now, you can make advance dining reservations reservations at this restaurant for lunch or dinner. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance by calling 407-WDW-DINE or via Disneyworld.com/dine. As with all dining reservations, a credit card guarantee is required at the time of reservation and the standard cancellation policy applies.

Did I miss any Disney news this week that should have been included?

magic kingdom flag retreat

Magic Kingdom Flag Retreat Ceremony

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Happy Memorial Day everyone! Since the opening day of the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971, Disney has held a flag retreat ceremony for the flag on Main Street every single day. While many people do not notice the flag pole at all, since they are in a hurry to get past the entrance and well into the park, there is a fairly large flag pole in Town Square, and the US flag is flying high before the park opens. Well, that flag has to come down each day, and Disney isn’t going to pass up a great opportunity, so they have a Flag Retreat Ceremony every single day.

The Flag Retreat Ceremony is just one of the reason that Disney is so wonderful. It is the small things that make the parks special. I would guess that most people visiting the parks are completely unaware of the daily ceremony, and that is just fine. But, during your next trip, take some time to be in Town Square at 5PM one day in the Magic Kingdom, and you will be pleasantly surprised, and may shed a tear or two (don’t say I didn’t warn you).

flag retreat ceremony

Plus, if you happen to be a veteran, you may be able to participate. In the past, you were able to head to City Hall first things and “volunteer”. A few years ago, they altered the process and now select someone from the Disney crowds that looks as though they are military. This usually happens early in the day, though no one knows for sure exactly how one is chosen. If you are interested in being part of the Flag Retreat, wear something that might indicate you are a veteran (or active duty), be at the park early, at the rope drop, and ask around, it never hurts to ask. From what I know, it seems as though Disney security typically is in charge of choosing a volunteer, so feel free to talk to as many as you can to see if you may be able to volunteer. If you are chosen, you will get to participate in the program, walk the flag down Main Street and even receive a certificate and pin. From everyone that I have talked to that has ever participated, they have to a man stated that it was the most special “thank you” they had ever received for serving in the military. Even if you aren’t chosen, make sure to be there.

The Flag Retreat Ceremony typically includes the Dapper Dans, the Main Street Philharmonic as well as Disney security personnel. Several songs will be played, everyone will get to say the Pledge of Allegiance, the flag is then lowered while the band plays the Star Spangled Banner and then while the flag is being folded, the Dapper Dans lead everyone in a verse of God Bless America. The band then plays a few military songs, followed by a procession down main street and the final ceremony thanking the daily volunteer and their family.

The entire ceremony is only about 15 minutes long, but well worth your time.

magic kingdom holiday parties

8 Tips for Magic Kingdom Holiday Parties

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Everyone loves the Holiday Parties that are held in the Magic Kingdom every year, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Between September 8 and December 22, 2016, the Magic Kingdom has several parties a week in the Magic Kingdom. These are extra ticket events, your normal Disney park pass does not gain you access. Separate tickets just for the party are currently available, and run between $72 and $102 per person plus tax. You must purchase a ticket for a particular date, and tickets are non-refundable, so make sure your date is exactly what you want before paying out the cash.

While hundreds of thousands of people visit the parties every year, make sure you know before you go. A little knowledge and planning can make your Magic Kingdom holiday parties perfect.

Top 8 tips for getting the most out of the Magic Kingdom Holiday parties

  1. Show up Early – While the party may not start until 7 PM, you can enter the Magic Kingdom with just your party ticket starting around 3 hours before party time. This is a great option for those who want to relax during the day, or maybe want to visit a water park or Disney Springs and not pay for a regular park pass for that day. This will give you time to catch a few rides so that during the party you will be able to do party things.
  2. Wristbands – For party goers, Disney gives you a wristband as you enter the parks in exchange for your party ticket. This gives Disney a way to easily see who is supposed to be there and how isn’t. But, what if you are already in the Magic Kingdom during the day? No one wants to head all the way back up to the front gate and wait in line to just get a wrist band. Stop by Castle Couture in Fantasyland and show your party tickets, they have wristbands there for you.
  3. Eat Early – The parties are very short. While it seems like 5 hours is a lot of time, there is way more to see and do that you can ever do in 5 hours. Showing up early helps. While it may sound awesome to dine in Cinderella’s Castle during the party, you are paying roughly $20 per hour per person to just be in the park during party time, do you really want to spend 90 minutes of your time sitting in a restaurant? Eat before you go, grabs snacks as needed to keep you going.
  4. Dress Up – While you often see people dressed up for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, consider, even as an adult, dressing up for both parties. While you may not want to come in your Halloween costume for the Christmas Party, consider dressing up in nice clothes or your ugly Christmas sweater to make it an even more festive event. If you are going to dress up, make sure you are aware of the new rules for 2016: While costumed attire may be worn, guests ages 14 and older are strongly discouraged from wearing layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body as they may be subject to additional security screening. Additionally, costumes may not contain any weapons that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.
  5. Plan Ahead – Before you go, find a guide map online, they are usually pretty easy to find once the parties start. Make sure you know what special events are going on, where and when they are, and which ones you want to go to. These parties are pretty popular, especially on weekends, much more crowded than the parks will be during the day than when you are there. You can ride Space Mountain anytime, but you can only see Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas Time Parade once (well, twice a night). Know what special merchandise is available only during the parties. For 2015 they had special Magic Bands, t-shirts, pins and other small items.
  6. Know What is Free – During the Halloween Party, kids are able to trick or treat at quite a few places in the park, while at Christmas, some restaurants have Holiday treats for the kids, including hot chocolate and cookies. Also, watch for other items like ice cream and treats throughout the parks.
  7. Plan and Work from Front to Back – As most party visitors arrive sometime around 7 PM, and all enter the front gate, most party goers start their event going down main street and working out into the park. Start your party time away from the front entrance, where the crowds will be light.
  8. Avoid the Early Parade – Each night, there are two night time parades, Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Halloween Parade and Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, usually around 8:30 PM and 10:30 PM, though I can promise you that the parades the night you will be there will not be at those time. The Halloween Parade tends to be later, the Christmas Parade is earlier. During either event, avoid the early parade, it is by far the most crowded, as it is a MUST DO, and many people go to the early one so they don’t have to worry about it later on. Don’t be like everyone else, get other stuff done while everyone is at the parade and stop by and see the last one.

Whatever you do, have fun. These are fantastic events and a great way to see the Magic Kingdom like never before. You may not ride one ride, but it is something you and your family will remember for years.